Emergency First Aid For Dogs: When A Dog Is Bleeding

This takes place each and every day …a dog is crossing a street or busy road and becomes the target of thousands of pounds of crushing steel – hurting the poor animal to the threshold of death.

If you ever encounter this unfortunate experience of bearing witness to this trauma, it is imperative to have a basic knowledge of shock and any type of bleeding the animal may be experiencing. If truth be told, any bleeding must of course be considered an emergency condition, because the dog doesn't really have any blood that it can safely spare.

There are three known external bleeding that every dog owner should be aware of …arterial, venous and capillary. 

Venous Bleeding

If your dog’s vein has been cut, the blood will be darker red, and will flow consistently. A pressure bandage or pressure should be applied directly below his wound.  This will ultimately stop bleeding from a detached vein. The pressure should then be released every 5 to 8 minutes, and then you should reapply it.

Arterial Bleeding

Arterial bleeding happens when an artery has been detached. The blood from an arterial wound will be bright and red, and will flow in an effervescent manner right along with your dog's heartbeat. This is one of the most dangerous of the three types of bleeding, and the pouring of blood from the detached artery must be shut off, or clamped. If it cannot be seen, you must apply pressure between the wound and the loss of blood until you are able to seek assistance from your vet.

Capillary Bleeding

Capillary bleeding can be documented as an oozing from the small, surface blood vessels. This will probably be the most frequent wound you'll encounter. You should apply direct pressure applied to the wound will stop the flow of blood. This can be achieved by the use of gauze bandages or any kind of folded cloth may be available in an emergency.

Keep in mind that cotton should never be applied directly to a wound as a pressure bandage.

Any internal bleeding must be looked upon as very serious, and vet treatment is required for the essential injections to help thicken the blood. Internal bleeding can be caused by a ruptured organ inside the abdominal cavity (for example, the liver or spleen).

Internal bleeding is a clearly shown by grayish-white gums, which is also a visual symptom of shock. So, where ever internal bleeding is suspected, your dog must be treated for shock, since any huge loss of blood will cause the dog's blood pressure to drop. The loss of blood pressure alone in your dog can cause him to automatically go into shock.

Article by Jenny Carson of Oh My Dog Supplies, your top spot to purchase dog clothes online.

Page updated November 12, 2008   Web Pages referring to this page Link to this page and get a link back!